


sometimes i just call you honey

by shamelesswonder



Category: Rhett & Link
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Fluff, M/M, Pet Names, Romantic Friendship, i didnt know that was a tag but now im using it on everything rhink
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-09
Updated: 2020-03-09
Packaged: 2021-03-01 00:14:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,881
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23086099
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shamelesswonder/pseuds/shamelesswonder
Summary: Rhett calls Link honey. Link finds he doesn't mind it after all.
Relationships: Rhett McLaughlin/Link Neal
Comments: 16
Kudos: 106





	sometimes i just call you honey

**Author's Note:**

> nothing really happens which is par for the course in my writing lmao. just found rhett joking around by calling link honey pretty cute and then this happened. also getting out some feelings about rhett's longer hair. enjoy?

They’re in the kitchen of their new house when Link thinks to bring it up. Apart from their offices, everything else was still very much a work in progress. Cabinets mostly bare save for a few dishes for them, Jenna, and whoever else might happen to stop by, a single blue dishtowel hanging neatly.

They didn’t need much more – besides, they’d probably end up getting takeout more often than not – but Link couldn’t help but admit that it was fun, furnishing their creative space into a semblance of a home.

With a good number of episodes shot that morning and no urgent business on the horizon, the afternoon was blissfully theirs to write. It was going to be glorious.

It wasn’t until Rhett was spooning some honey into his tea that Link was reminded of what Rhett had called him that morning. Had been calling him often as of late.

“Why do you call me honey?”

Rhett wasn’t paying attention, spoon clattering rhythmically against the sides of his mug as he stirred. “Hmm?” he hummed, not bothering to look up.

“Honey. Seem to get a real kick outta calling me that lately.”

Rhett is quiet for a bit and Link can practically hear the wheels turning as he figures out how best to respond. He buys himself time, returning the box of tea bags to the cupboard, washing his spoon and returning it to the drawer. “It’s…” he begins slowly, choosing his words carefully, “A term of endearment.”

Link rolls his eyes and leans back against the island, arms crossed, waiting for a better response and for Rhett to move out of the way so he can pour himself some coffee. “I’m aware.”

“So, you should be flattered man,” says Rhett, bumping his shoulder gently as he passes by, carrying his steaming mug into the shared living area and sitting down on their only couch.

Link follows close behind, coffee forgotten, plopping down on the opposite end of the couch and pulling out his laptop. “So weird, man,” he says, shaking his head.

“Mm, not really.” And gosh, Rhett won’t, he won't stop _staring_ at him, seems hellbent on maintaining eye contact as he speaks like they’re in some weird impromptu staring contest. It makes Link feel all kinds of awkward. But then again, why the hell would he be feeling awkward over this? Over _Rhett?_

If Rhett senses he’s made Link uncomfortable, he doesn’t acknowledge it. “I mean, was I kind of saying it to get a rise outta you? Sure.” He pauses, rubbing at his beard as he thinks. “You’re fun to rile up.”

Link looks up from his laptop and glares before returning his gaze to its screen.

Rhett shrugs. “It’s just something I’m trying out. Openness 'n all that.” Now Rhett is the one who seems uncomfortable, burying himself in his mug and fiddling with the tassels on a couch cushion.

Link still couldn’t help but feel he was messing with him. That obviously, surely, it had been meant as joke. In fact, he’d been the one to make things weird by asking Rhett to explain himself. As though there was something there to explain.

His lack of response surely wasn’t helping Rhett’s nerves. He places his mug on the coffee table in front of them, sighs, and turns back to face Link. “If it really bothers you, just give me the word and I’ll stop.”

And the thing is, it doesn’t. Bother him, that is. Sure, it took some getting used to. They were never ones for pet names – their friendship built more on creative ventures and a healthy dose of teasing. But the longer Rhett kept it up, the more sincere it had begun to feel, sneaking its way into Link’s life and heart much easier than it had any right to.

On the whole, he was probably more bothered by how much it wasn’t bothering him. By how much he'd grown to _like_ it. And he was once again met with this needling feeling that there was something here, something more that they needed to discuss.

“So, what does this mean for us?” asks Link, pushing up his glasses with the back of his hand.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean like. We’re friends, but you’re gonna talk to me like a, like I’m your – ”

“What, Link?”

“I don’t know! That’s why I’m askin’.”

“It’s whatever you want,” says Rhett, now alternating between fiddling with his laptop and his hair, cheeks slightly flushed. “Whatever you think it means, whatever you want it to mean, the answer’s probably yes.”

He waits a beat, seeming to want to make sure Link had gotten it. Link thinks he might be beginning to. He tucks it away to examine later, alongside the growing list of similarly tender moments, the breaking down of decades held barriers and norms in their relationship. It sets his insides squirming with something new and strange but not altogether unpleasant. He manages a tiny smile and nod.

Seemingly encouraged, Rhett takes a deep breath and stretches his hand across the couch, leaving it to rest between them as he beckons Link closer.

Link’s heart hammers in his chest. _Surely he wasn’t going to –_

“I’m just a man, sittin’ in front of a man, asking him to let me call him honey,” Rhett says, deadpan in his delivery. Or at least that was his aim. He only makes it about half-way through the sentence before breaking into giggles.

“Shut _up,_ ” Link says, but it’s hard to take him seriously as he’s soon caught in a giggle fit of his own. The slight tension that had been building falls away and Link can’t help but be grateful. Though a pillow does find itself thrown at Rhett’s head for good measure.

Rhett, still tickled by his own dumb joke, takes it in stride, placing the pillow on his lap and coaxing Link to lie down on it. “C’mere honey,” he jokes. “Maybe you wouldn't be so freaking cranky if you rested a bit.”

Link shakes his head. “M’alright. Let’s just get some work done.”

“Suit yourself man. I think I’m gonna take a quick nap if that’s alright with you. Wake me up in an hour or so and you can tell me what you got?”

Link nods and Rhett stretches out on their shared couch. Couches didn’t really fit Rhett, even at the best of times, and there definitely wasn't enough space for the two of them on this small one. To make matters worse, he places his head almost directly in Link’s lap – _it’s either that or my sweaty feet, man!_ – which would’ve been fine any other day but Link was having so many feelings right now that he felt they would practically seep out of him.

And yet they still don’t bother to return to their own offices, too comfortable in the couch and each other to even consider it. Link does move to sit on the floor once Rhett’s asleep, not wanting him to feel guilty for taking up the couch. He also makes note of them needing to get a second couch, ASAP.

The house they picked is far enough from any main roads that it’s quiet, peaceful. Link doesn’t think he’ll ever be quite used to it. No distant clamour of their ever-moving crew or the inevitable hustle and bustle they’re met with in their own homes. Just the click-clack of his keyboard accompanied by a steady breathing Link knows as well as his own.

They really should bring the kids round sometime though, he thinks. This wasn’t supposed to be a home, quite the opposite really, but it was quickly becoming something not far off. Link thinks of their wives chatting on the couch, of the older kids maybe helping Rhett make them all dinner and smiles. One home for the people who were in so many ways more one family than two. He’d have to remember to bring it up with Rhett later.

It’s creeping towards evening, the soft yellow glow that filled the space now a more pronounced orange, when Link decides to call it a day. Stretching out his limbs with a sigh, he takes a look at the still sleeping man above him.

The setting sun casts a warm glow on everything but illuminates the soft curls of Rhett’s hair particularly well. They fall readily around his face now, framing it so well that it kind of takes Link’s breath away.

“I oughta be the one calling you honey,” Link says thoughtfully, voice rough and low, croaky from an afternoon of silence. Ever the light sleeper, Link’s words draw Rhett from his nap. 

“Huh?” Rhett replies groggily, confused.

“Your hair,” Link murmurs. “S’honey coloured, kinda.” 

The room itself feels honey-drenched, makes their movements slower, words sweeter. Link finds his hand slowly trailing through Rhett’s hair, going from his forehead down to the curliest bits at the nape of his neck and back again. The product he’d applied that morning had long since lost its ability to tame, hair sprawling every which way against the pillow.

Rhett doesn’t seem to mind, leans back into it like an overly affectionate cat, lazy grin tugging at his cheeks. “You like playing with my hair, Neal?”

Link feels heat creep up his neck but doesn’t withdraw his hand. “Maybe,” he says, surprising even himself with how it comes out, just this side of shy.

His fingers seem to have developed a mind of their own, crawling upwards towards Rhett’s hairline, gently pulling back the strands that had fallen against his forehead so Link can meet his eyes.

Looking up at him from between his curls, Rhett says cheekily, “So - if you’re gonna call me honey because of my hair, by that logic what should I call you? Salty? Salt-N-Pepa?”

Whatever sunset spell had fallen between them is broken as Link roughly ruffles the hair he’d been playing with so delicately, making Rhett sputter and pull himself to sitting.

“Be nice Rhett,” he warns, pulling himself back up onto the couch now that he had room and crossing his legs underneath him.

Rhett leans back and stretches, scratching absentmindedly at his torso. “I am being nice! You’re a…what did you call it that day, a silver fox? You’re a silver fox, man!” he repeats, clapping Link on the shoulder as he gets up to wash out his mug.

“So now that the cameras are off you’ll admit it. Okay then,” Link calls after him. “Gonna get that confession on tape someday.”

Rhett just chuckles. “You still want your coffee?”

Link shakes his head. Too late for that now, he’d be up all night. Although he had a feeling it was futile – by the looks of it, he'd be kept up all night anyways by this blossoming warmth in his gut.

“Make me a tea instead?” he asks.

Rhett smirks. Link sees it coming and sighs. “Please?”

“Please, what?” asks Rhett, beaming. _Asshole_ , Link thinks.

“Please, _honey_ ,” says Link, an exaggerated sweetness dripping from his words. But he still can’t help the slight smile that tugs at the corner of his mouth, ducking behind his laptop before he’s caught.

Rhett just keeps on smiling. “I’ll see what I can do, honey.”

**Author's Note:**

> as always, thank you so much for reading 😊❤️


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